The evolution of the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic

The Mob Wife Aesthetic: From The Sopranos to TikTok

The Sopranos took the TV world by storm 25 years ago. As the landmark show celebrates its anniversary, it’s no coincidence that the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic is going viral on TikTok. The rise of the mob wife look is a rejection of the minimalism of recent years, swapping ‘barely there’ makeup for smoky eyes and loungewear for vintage fur coats. 

At Dashe Beauty Kuwait, we’re having clients sit down in our salon chairs with photographs of Adriana La Cerva and Carmela Soprano as their inspiration. While movies like The Godfather serve as key inspiration, the aesthetic has made a comeback thanks to TikTok – the same platform that made the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic famous. 

The Evolution of the ‘Mob Wife’ Aesthetic

Even Francis Ford Coppola, the Director of The Godfather, another source of inspiration for the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic has weighed in. He described the character of Connie Corleone as “a sultry, delightful Italian princess” with her flashy jewelry, fur coats, and animal prints.

The ‘mob wife’ aesthetic has bounced back onto the scene as 2024’s first major trend – all thanks to one video by a TikTok influencer named Kayla Trivieri, who declared that “clean girl is out, mob wife is in”. She accurately predicted that the switch back to bold glamour would lead Millennials and Gen Z to explore the aesthetic for the first time. 

2024’s version of the ‘mob wife’ look is a counterbalance to the ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic popularized by Sofia Richie. It’s more grown-up than other trends like ‘coquette’ and ‘Y2K’. It’s an aesthetic that uses hyper-glam hair, makeup, and clothing to make women feel confident in their sexuality.

We can expect this new era of the ‘mob wife’ to have a distinctive Gen Z feel, incorporating trends from the ‘70s to Y2K and focusing on buying vintage and second-hand.

How to Recreate the ‘Mob Wife’ Look

There’s no shortage of inspiration for anyone looking to experiment with the ‘mob wife’ look. Celebrities like Kris Jenner, Nicki Minaj, Hailey Bieber, and Dua Lipa have all played with aspects of the aesthetic. The ‘mob wife’ look offers beauty lovers the glamour they’ve been missing since 2019, bringing bold lips, smudged-out eyeliner, and false lashes. Your makeup should look ‘lived in’ rather than natural. 

Pamela Anderson’s iconic messy updos fit right into the ‘mob wife’ look. The aesthetic is all about ‘big’ hair, adding as much volume and bounce as possible. It’s time to start backcombing your hair and trying structured updos that are sultry but sophisticated. 

The easiest way to try out the aesthetic is with your makeup. A mob wife is instantly recognizable by her dramatic eye makeup and stiletto nails, favoring overlined nude lipstick just as much as a sultry red. It’s unapologetically bold glamour that embraces maximalism. If you’re swapping out your ‘clean girl’ makeup bag for the ‘mob wife’ look, swap for formulas with stronger and bolder pigments. 

Whether you’re channeling Carmela Soprano or Sharon Stone in ‘Casino’, the mob wife aesthetic is a welcome change from the minimalism and laid-back beauty trends of recent years. Get more inspiration by visiting our Instagram @dashebeautykw and website or follow up at our beauty blog. 

This article was published in Kuwait Times